After
the critical, commercial and creative success of I am…, Ayumi Hamasaki released her fifth studio album RAINBOW during the winter of 2002. Like
its predecessor, the record sees a deeply personal Hamasaki singing honest
songs through the exertion of her own creative control. RAINBOW, however, falls short in that it is less cohesive and is a
bit of a hodge-podge in comparison to I
am….
It’s
hard to pin down a specific sound or genre that best describes RAINBOW. “Free & Easy” begins with a
haunting orchestral arrangement punctuated by a plucking piano but abruptly
changes into a loud, pulsating rock composition so jarring it is enough to make
the listener jump. “WE WISH” and “everywhere nowhere” cultivate a similar
rock/electronica sound as featured on I
am… inviting a feeling of déjà vu. Where the album finds its strength,
however, is in its pop songs. “Real me” is a fun dance record that deals with
the contradictory notions of womanhood. “July 1st” and “Independent”
stand out as well. The former features a strumming guitar on its verses and a
funky scratching arrangement on its choruses. “Independent” is recognizable for
the infectious clapping that introduces it and adopts an acoustic sound with
its guitar-heavy composition. Both are fantastic summer songs ideal for driving
down a long stretch of highway with the convertible top down. Of course, it
wouldn’t be an Ayumi Hamasaki album without ballads. The selection on RAINBOW is diverse and illustrates
Hamasaki’s willingness to experiment. “Dolls” is a quivering track with a
sweeping chorus delivered with incredible emotion from Hamasaki while “Close to
you” is a more traditional piano ballad with sweet vocals that takes on a
gospel feel with chiming bells. The ballad “Voyage” is often cited as one of
Hamasaki’s finest with its epic orchestral score and hopeful lyrics.
Nevertheless, it is “HANABI” that stands out as the greatest track on RAINBOW. It is simple in its composition
but its lyrics and Hamasaki’s vocal delivery are so heartrending that they
elicit a reaction of genuine sorrow. It remains one of Hamasaki’s most
overwhelmingly emotional songs and is typically accompanied by tears when
Hamasaki performs it live on tour.
It
is easy to criticize RAINBOW for its
lack of cohesion and confused arrangements but perhaps this was not accidental.
Maybe each song is a colour, different in its appearance but when it is united
it creates a beautiful rainbow. RAINBOW is
ethereal and evocative at times and while it would have been nice to have
trimmed some of the unnecessary fat from the album it is remarkable even in its
flaws.
Recommended
Listening: “Real me,” “Heartplace,” “HANABI,” “July 1st,” “Dolls,”
“Voyage,” “Close to you,” “Independent”
Grade: B
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